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tv   America This Morning  ABC  April 5, 2011 4:00am-4:30am PDT

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making news in america this morning -- >> nature's wrath. southern states taking a beating. now, severe weather set to impact the entire east coast. miracle landing. the cockpit fills with smoke as instruments shut down. inside the latest midair scare. and ballroom tumble. kirstie alley's costly steps on "dancing with the stars." good morning. i'm peggy bunker. >> i'm mike marusarz, in for rob nelson. one-third of the nation is bracing for a terrible tuesday weather-wise. take a look at this accuweather map, showing thousands of lightning strikes overnight. >> the outbreak of severe storms impacting 20 states this morning. it's already causing extensive damage and death.
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the system exploded with intensity in tennessee. bringing 80-mile-per-hour winds, torrential rain and hail. this morning, there are reports of tornadoes in at least five states. that's likely what tore this kentucky auto plant apart. >> i looked outside and saw everything flying. and just grabbed the closest person to me. and we hit the floor. >> reporter: seven employees inside were hurt. the storm flipped mobile homes. >> just flipped it like a ball. >> reporter: and ripped off roofs. in kansas, a family born was destroyed. >> things were swirling all around. >> reporter: lightning sent this church steeple plummeting to the ground. >> you could hear it rip it off. and water poured through the ceiling everywhere. >> reporter: across the south, cars and homes have been flattened by falling trees. downed power lines killed a tennessee man who was clearing debris.
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a 1,000-mile squall line remains intact, meaning thunderstorms from new england to florida. already this morning there are tornado watches issued from northern florida up to washington, d.c. now, to washington where the budget battle is coming down to the wire. the white house is telling federal agencies to be prepared for a possible government shutdown. and president obama makes another attempt today to try to find top lawmakers and help them reach some common ground. emily schmidt is in washington with this story. good morning, emily. >> reporter: mike, good morning to you. overnight, house republicans introduced a new bill that would keep the government running for one more week. whatever happens to that bill, a larger problem remains. how to get enough agreement here to keep the government in business until october. four days until government funding runs out, the budget battle moves from capitol hill to the white house, where president obama is set to meet this morning with the congressional and budget leaders. >> the president made those phone calls and is calling this meeting precisely because he is
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concerned that we need to reach a final agreement. time is of the essence. >> reporter: unless there's an agreement before friday's deadline or a temporary extension, there will be a government shutdown. >> we're serious about trying to prevent a government shutdown. we're also serious about cutting spending. those are the two driving parameters of what we want to talk about. >> reporter: overnight, house republicans put another deal on the table. a proposal to fund the government for one more week, while cutting $12 billion of the budget. they did this after saying, if compromise fails, there is one reason why. >> if it is shut down, it's because harry reid refuses to negotiate in good faith. >> all of this in the time frame we're dealing with, is not about blaming this one or that one. it's about getting the job done. >> reporter: house democrats say this year's proposed cuts could be too big, just as republican house budget chairman, paul ryan, plans to unveil next year's budget today. his plan calls for $6.2 trillion
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in cuts over the next decade, which would likely set off a whole, new budget battle. the white house now says that agency and cabinet leaders should begin telling their managers about shutdown plans. but the white house says it's no indication of the direction negotiations are going. peggy? >> all right. emily schmidt live for us this morning. thank you. five suspects in the 9/11 attacks will face trial at guantanamo bay instead of a civilian courtroom in new york. the justice department announced that the change in policy would happen yesterday. this reverses an obama pledge to close guantanamo. military prosecutors have seeking the death penalty against alleged mastermind, khalid shaikh mohammed and four accomplices. in japan, millions of gallons of radioactive water are being pumped into the pacific ocean from the crippled nuclear plant. it's a drastic measure to make room in a storage site for water that is more contaminated.
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radioactivity is quickly diluted in the ocean. and the government says the dump should not affect the safety of seafood in that area. the fog is ordering more inspections of certain boeing 737s. most of them are flown by southwest airlines, which says they expect to have the inspections finished today. southwest expects to fly a whole schedule today, after cancelling hundreds of flights, all since a gaping hole appeared in a 737 shortly after takeoff last friday. cracks were found in three other 737s. they've since been taken out of service. a united pilot is being credited today with a miracle landing that the faa is also investigating. it was shortly after takeoff from new orleans, when yesterday, the pilot of this united airlines airbus, bound for san francisco, declared an emergency. there was smoke in the cockpit. then, the situation got worse. >> we've lost all our instruments right now. we're going to need just a par.
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>> united 497, safe souls on board and fuel remaining? >> 106 souls on board. >> not the words you want to hear from the pilot. the plane turned back to the airport. and despite minimal braking and steering on a backup system, they did land safely. it did skid off the runway. that required passengers to leave via the emergency slides. let's look at this morning's weather from around the country. a stormy day from florida to the carolinas, with 80-mile-per-hour winds. chance of chance oados. showers and thunderstorms in washington, d.c., new york and boston. scattered showers in the upper midwest. and heavy rain from seattle to portland. up to two feet of snow in the cascades. snow also in the northern rockies. >> 67 in salt lake city. 77 in albuquerque. and just shy of 90 in phoenix. 50 in chicago. 66 in kansas city. 50s in boston and new york. and baltimore and miami climbs to 87.
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and a new top dog is reigning over college basketball this morning. both top dogs. >> both dogs, so to speak. the huskies and the bulldogs, pairing off on the hardwood. now, the uconn men celebrating their third ncaa championship. butler did lead at the half, all thanks in part to star guard kemba walker. connecticut was able to pull off the victory. butler's score was the lowest in a title game since 1949. uconn's coach, jim calhoun, said it may be the happiest moment in his life. kind of sad that march madness is now over. >> the whole march madness turned everybody's brackets on their head. coming up, mcdonald's pledge to hire 50,000 new workers. and the search for a serial killer as eight bodies are found near a beach. and a construction zone.
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well, here's something that's no surprise to those of us who drive every day. gas prices, they're up again. the average price of a gallon of regular is now $3.68. that's up nearly 9 cents in the past week. this is the highest amount since september of 2008. prices could keep rising with oil also at its highest level in 30 months. overseas markets are mixed this morning.
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tokyo's nikkei average fell 1% today. hong kong's hang seng rose 1.5%. and in london, the ftse opened slightly lower. on wall street, the dow rose 23 points yesterday. the nasdaq ticked down less than one point. toyota plans to put the brakes on production in north america. the automaker says it will be forced to temporarily shut down all of its factories here because of parts shortages, due to the japan earthquake. the closures are expected to begin later this month and will affect 25,000 workers. but no layoffs are expected. and mcdonald's is planning a hiring spree. the fast food chain will look to fill 50,000 openings during its first national hiring day. that will take place april 19th. it has so many jobs to fill because business has been improving. also because more of its restaurants are open 24 hours a day. as the economy improves, people may be look better. not because they're happier. but because they're having more cosmetic surgery. the number of people who went
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under the knife for beauty rose almost 9% last year. more than 1.6 million americans had cosmetic surgeries. that was actually down from the 2005 peak of more than 2.1 million. >> unbelievable. >> a little note there, the most popular, breast augmentation. >> really? signs are improving because insurance is not paying for that. eight murder victims and there may be more. the search underway right now on a new york beach. plus, kirstie and her partner take a tumble. what happened? and will it cost them tonight? [ woman ] can't anything help these itchy allergy eyes?
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this allows some residents to return home. if you're going to be on the road today, here's what you are going to face. wet on i-95, from miami to maine. flooding around jacksonville, savannah and d.c. slick on i-80 and 90 in new york and pennsylvania. rain soaks i-5 from seattle to portland. and icy spots on i-84 and 90 in the rockies. wet on i-94, from bismarck to minneapolis. >> if you're heading to the airport, expect some delays in miami, charlotte, d.c., new york, philadelphia and also boston. the search for a serial killer is intensifying on new york's long island, after three more bodies were found. >> now, that brings the total number of victims to eight. investigators say that there could be more women buried along a desolate stretch of beach. lucy yang of our affiliate station wabc reports. >> reporter: the westbound lanes remain closed from oak beach all the way to the nassau county border. this, after three more bodies were discovered near oak beach,
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bringing the total number of victims to eight. >> the likelihood is extremely high that all of these eight victims have a commonality. >> reporter: the officials thought today would be ideal for an extensive search. and, indeed, their efforts turned up what everyone hopes would not be the case, more victims. they brought in cadaver dogs, a platoon of 25 police recruits to beat through the thick brambles. the grim and ever-expanding case began in december, when police were called to look for 24-year-old shannon gilbert, a prostitute on craigslist who went to meet a client here last may. she had not been seen since. officials found four decomposed bodice. all women, all in their 20s. but no shannon gilbert. last week, they found another and three more. experts racing to identify the four, new victims.certai >> certainly, the medical examiner's going to be looking at the possibility that shannon gilbert is one of the remains.
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>> when i heard today three more, it really, really scared me. >> reporter: ironically residents here and the elusive killer seem to have picked this beachfront community for the same reason. it is quiet and desolate. and all of this untamed growth makes a beautiful backdrop, as well as an ideal place to dump bodies. lucy yang, abc news, in oak beach, new york. an aviation mystery is unraveling under the waters of brazil. undersea robots have recovered from the air france jet that plunged into the atlantic ocean two years ago. all 228 onboard were killed in the crash, the worst in air france's history. washington is a town full of political intrigue. now, there's a new conspiracy theory floating around a about a construction job at the white house. officially, it's described as a long overdue upgrade of
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communications equipment under ground. but a mysterious tunnel is being built, too. that's led to speculation that a secret, underground hideaway is being constructed. so far, the white house denies that rheaumer. here's a reason to take it easy at work today. working long hours may be bad for your health. i could have told you that, right, peggy? >> amen. >> a study finds people working 11 hours a day or longer have a 67% higher risk of developing heart disease than those who work between seven and eight hours a day. the study did not include blue-collar jobs. the findings did not apply to everyone. it was likely a sleepless night of celebrating in connecticut, as the uconn huskies collect their latest national title in men's basketball. here's mike yam at espn news. >> good morning. we start with the national championship game in houston. the eighth seed, the butler bulldog, trying to unleash the magic and get over the hump. they lost the national title
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game last year to duke. the three seed, uconn. first half, kemba walker. wheeling and dealing. seven first half points for him. he was named the most outstanding player of the tournament. shelvin mack buries the triple. butler, six total first half field goals. early second, jeremy lamb, 12 points all in the second half. getting it done. uconn up by nine. off the finish from lamb. kemba walker, 16 points, 9 rebounds. oh, the prettiest two he had in the game. huskies up by 11. butler, though, they struggled from the floor. couldn't make a shot. matt howard, their star. 1 for 13 in this game. butler, just 1 field goal in a span of 14:20. they shot 28% from the floor. that's the lowest percentage ever in a championship game. and uconn able to take full
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advantage. oriakhi. jim calhoun, his team. they win their third national championship. at 68, he's the oldest coach to win a national title. and don't forget, we showed you the men's championship game. and how about the ladies? tuesday night, starting at 7:30 eastern time, it's notre dame matching up against texas a&m. it starts on espn, coverage at 7:30 eastern. that will do it for this update. i'm mike yam. kirstie alley and her partner, got off on the wrong foot, you could say. drawing gasps from the audience on "dancing with the stars." >> the ped seconds into their rumba right there. but they did recover very quickly. and managed to earn 21 points. her partner said that his thigh just gave out. >> petra thnemcova and hines wa
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were in the lead. >> maks looking like he was in pain. >> we'll check his condition on "dancing with the stars" on abc. up next, it is election day in sin city, with an entertaining slate of candidates. and we'll also update our top story. damaging storms moving east. tornado warnings in effect. it was a mystery to me. i found out that connected to our muscles are nerves that send messages through the body. my doctor diagnosed it as fibromyalgia, thought to be the result of overactive nerves that cause chronic, widespread pain. lyrica is believed to calm these nerves. i learned lyrica can provide significant relief from fibromyalgia pain. and with less pain, i can do re of what matters to me. [ female announcer ] lyrica is not for everyone. lyrica may cause serious allergic reactions or suicidal thoughts or actions. tell your doctor right away if you have these, new or worsening depression, or unusual changes in mood or behavior or any swelling or affected breathing, or skin, or changes in eyesight, inclu blurry vision or muscle pain with fever or tired feeling.
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many as 20 twisters in the south, moves east today. hail, high winds and isolated tornadoes are expected across florida, georgia and the carolinas. today, the faa is ordering that more older 737s be inspected for cracks in the fuselage. most are southwest airlines claims have already been checked. southwest expects to fly a full schedule today. and president obama is holding a white house meeting with congressional leaders in hopes of averting a government shutdown. he is also advising agencies to prepare, just in case no agreement is reached before friday night's deadline. 18 candidates are on today's ballot to replace the flamboyant mayor of las vegas. most likely to replace oscar goodman in city hall, his wife, caroline. also on the ballot, a frenchman who likes to kiss female voters on the hand. how about your wife beating you in a poll. coming up on "good morning america," a woman who has more cosmetic procedures than anyone else. don't miss that. for some of you, your local
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>> kristen: next. an empty stomach may have saved him. it kept a nine-year-old boy from being hit by a bullet last night. how bombshell recordings last night may have fizzled out before making it into evidence. lisa argen has the cooldown. >> that's right. temperatures are in the 40s and 50s but windier weather and clouds on the way. >> kristen: and frances will check obesity is a major health issue in this country. and overeating is, of course, the major cause. some people just can't resist food. it's almost like an addiction. >> i can attest to that. now, a new study provides new
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insight into the food cravings and the human brain. here's sharyn alfonsi. >> reporter: the pictures of a cute, chubby kid only tell part of the story. michael pregnanter said he didn't just overeat. >> i was stealing to get food. and money to get food. there was never really enough for me. >> reporter: now, a new study reveals why some of us can't stop eating. it's not willpower. it's a real addiction. and it has to do with the way our brains are wired. first, researchers asked women a series of questions. do they feel sluggish, anxious or withdrawn about food? then, they were shown a picture of a chocolate milk shake. when a healthy woman saw it, a part of the brain that deals with anticipation, does not respond. the picture does not trigger any craving. but when a food addict saw the picture, that part of the brain lights up. they have to have it. craving it like a drug. then, the women were given an actual taste of the milk shake. with normal women, the part of
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the brain that shows you're satiated, lights up. they fill fulfilled. doctors say they say they are more likely to overeat, chasing that fulfilled feeling. researchers say the way a food addict responds to food is similar to the way a drug addict's brain responds to drug. >> there's important implications for treatment. we can learn from the substance abuse legislature. >> reporter: to that end, michael prager went to treat his addiction. today, he's 165 pounds lighter. >> i'm recovering a day at a time. but i have no doubt -- oh, god. i have no doubt, that if i let these boundaries down, i would be back with my head in a trough of food, in very short order. >> reporter: sharyn alfonsi, abc news, new york. >> very interesting. >> it's fascinating when you break it down to the scientific level. that's what's making news in america this morning. >> get more later on "good morning america." have a great tuesday.

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